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Newspaper Page Text
FRIDAY, SEPT. 24, 1920
Oil and War
The United States Government has protested
against Japan occupying territory in Siberia It
has also protested against the efforts being made
by the British and French Governments and Brit
ish and French capitalists to "comer" the oil sup
ply of the world.
Every one know what such protest mean.
If the dispute becomes serious enough, there will
be a clash and then force will have to
That was the cause of the last war that
is the cause of every war.
What interest has the American working
class in such disputes? They have no money in
oil wells. They have no money invested in oil
companies. Japan's invasion of Siberia is not their
It would not worry the American Govern
ment, either, if Japan seized the whole Sahara
Desert. It is because the Sibeiian territory seized
by the Japanese is rich in minerals, coal, and oil
and timber which AMERICAN CAPITALISTS
WOULD LIKE TO EXPLOIT, that the Amer
ican government protests.
Of course, if war should result, the American
government will use workers as soldiers. That
is the way of present-day governments.
When the rank and file of labor unions strike
independently of th?;r officials, they are called
When they strike under the leadership of
these officials they are called dupes. '
When they strike-under, any circumstances
and lose they are called fools.
When they don't strike at all they are called
When they strike and strike right, ala-O. B.
U., they are called I. W. W.s and Bolsheviks.
When we strike let's strike right and be
called something worth while.
When we strike let it be a general strike,
and we will be doing something worth while.
M. De Wal, The Man Without a Country, in
the Fellow-Worker. , '
The Railroad Bonus
From March 1st to September 1st, the 6
month's guarantee of profits period, the rail
road companies were paid $600,000,000 out of
the United States treasury. The wind-up was
the big boost of rates to keep up this amaizing
In return for this bonus, the railroads have
gone into partnership with the coal operators
to create a short supply and top prices.
The capitalists cannot make money off each
other. In the long amm they can only pass it
around, re-distribute the capital among them
selves. The only way of increasing the total is
out of the sweet and blood of the wage-workers.
The workers get constantly a smaller propor
tion of .the value of their product, in spite of
any and all increases of nominal wages.
Some of the capitalists magnaniously offer
their workers a bonus on wages. The whole
profit system consists of bonuses taken out of
"'While I"Was teaching algebra and Russian,
an agent of the Department of Justice opened the
door of the school, walked in with a revolver in
his hand and ordered everybody in the school to
step aside. Then without any provocation)he struck
me on the head and beat me brutally. I was
thrown downstairs, and while I rolled down, other
men, I presume also agents of the Department
of Justice, beat me with pieces of wood."
One ought to known better than be a teacher
in America. Our school I teachers, all over the
country, have a story to tell.
They are not wage earners. They are salaried
professionals, the educators of the young. But
woe betide them if they disobey orders from
Don't think ! Don't write ! Don't speak ! Above
all, don't imagine that your position is the same
as eveiy worker's! You are salaried people, in-
But the same revolvers and the same pieces
of wood and the same stairs await you in
free America at the hand of government agents.